Here is the full press release.NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE NAMES ITS TWO
PROJECT AMERICA SHIPS
Newest Freestyle Cruising ship features eight restaurants and unprecedented meeting facilities
Miami, May 19, 2003 - Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) today announced the names for its first two Project America ships, which will begin sailing Hawaii inter-island cruising next year. Project America 1 will be named "Pride of America", reflecting the "Best of America" theme on board. The line's second Project America ship, currently sailing as Norwegian Sky, will be reflagged into the U.S. registry, and will be renamed, "Pride of Aloha" reflecting the strong Hawaii theme to be incorporated during a complete refurbishment in September 2004. The ships will sail under the company's new U.S. Flag brand - NCL America sm- with 100 percent U.S. officers and crew.
Pride of America will be the first new ocean-going passenger ship in nearly 50 years to sail under the American flag. She will begin service in Hawaii in July 2004, offering seven-night inter-island cruises round trip from Honolulu.
The ship will feature the innovative attributes of NCL's newest Freestyle Cruising fleet. She features eight restaurants offering traditional dining experiences in two main restaurants plus multiple alternative dining venues, from formal to casual and 24-hour room service.
Pride of America has over 660 balcony staterooms, the broadest range of family-friendly interconnecting cabins available at sea, state-of-the-art entertainment venues, three pools, extensive children's facilities, an abundance of spacious public rooms, and the largest dedicated meeting facilities at sea. All inspired by the diverse regions of America. The ship will also include several firsts for NCL including a Conservatory, a new category of Family Suites, a Tennis Court and an Art Gallery.
"As the first new ocean-going ship to hoist the Stars and Stripes in nearly 50 years, Pride of America has been designed to reflect many diverse parts of the country," said Colin Veitch, president and CEO of NCL. "From an Alaskan Gold Rush Pub to a New Orleans' Mardi Gras Cabaret Lounge to a Hawaii-themed Aloha Café and Waikiki Bar, passengers will be able to experience the flavor of the U.S. while enjoying the Aloha Spirit of the Hawaii crew on board."
A Star Spangled Lineup of Culinary Options
Pride of America offers the flexibility of eight restaurants and nine different menus every night. Guests can choose from two main restaurants and an array of alternative gourmet, ethnic, and casual eateries, including:
Skyline Restaurant - Main restaurant, located on deck 5; inspired by the architecture and skyscrapers of the 1930's and offering a traditional dining experience; accommodates 628;
Liberty Restaurant - Second main restaurant, located on Deck 6; a classical design from Colonial days featuring the Founding Fathers and large paintings depicting important moments in American History. Offering a traditional dining experience and accommodates 496;
Lone Star Steak House - Located on Deck 6; a modern, upscale steak house featuring a Texan décor with art of the Houston Space Center, Texas Rangers and Dallas Cowboys. Serving a choice of certified Angus Beef ä, veal, pork, lamb, seafood and grilled chicken; accommodates 106;
China Town - Located on Deck 5; a taste of Asia: an elegant Pacific Rim/Asian Fusion restaurant; featuring a sushi and sashimi bar and a Teppanyaki room with two tables accommodating a total of 32 and offering an interactive Japanese dining experience where food is prepared in front of guests;
Jefferson's Bistro - Located on Deck 5; NCL's signature restaurant featuring an a la carte menu of nouvelle and classic French cuisine; inspired by Thomas Jefferson's home in Monticello; Jefferson was the US Ambassador to France from 1785-1789 before becoming America's third President; accommodates 104;
Cadillac Diner - Located on Deck 6; a 24-hour, 1950's style diner featuring décor of '50's Rock 'n Roll stars complete with Cadillac seats and a video juke box. Fare includes hamburgers, fish and chips, potpies and wok fast dishes; accommodates 106 (70 indoor; 36 outdoor)
Little Italy - Located on Deck 11; a modern, casual Italian eatery inspired by New York's Little Italy. Serving pasta, pizza and other popular Italian fare; accommodates 116;
Aloha Café/Kids Café - Located on Deck 11; indoor/outdoor buffet-styled eatery with a Hawaii theme, outrigger canoes, Polynesian carvings and traditional Hawaii artifacts. Features "food action stations" including prepared-to-order omelets, waffles, fruit, soups, ethnic specialties, and pasta; offers extensive and varied selections; accommodates 322 indoor and 310 outdoor; includes a buffet for kids with small chairs and tables; accommodates 48.
In addition, Pride of America will offer seven lounges and bars including the Mardi Gras Cabaret Lounge - the ship's nightclub, the Napa Wine Bar, Pink's Champagne & Cigar Bar, John Adams Coffee Bar, Gold Rush Pub and the outdoor pool bars - Key West Bar & Grill and the Waikiki Bar.
A Vast Array of Accommodations
Pride of America offers an extensive choice of cabins highlighted by an expansive Grand Suite, the broadest range of family accommodations with more than 250 cabins that interconnect, over 660 balcony cabins and a new concept for NCL -- Family Suites.
The ship's Grand Suite offers 1,400 square feet of living space at sea. Positioned high atop the vessel forward of the main sundeck, the Grand Suite features sweeping views of the ocean and an impressive assortment of amenities usually found only at five-star land based resorts.
The Grand Suite features a large living room with a state-of-the-art Bang & Olufsen entertainment center with remote controlled TV, a CD, stereo and DVD player as well as a CD/DVD library, computer access with internet connection and a wet bar. The suite features a dining room with a polished teak table seating six and a private butler to serve meals restaurant-style. The master bedroom features a king-size bed, an en-suite bathroom with separate shower and Jacuzzi bath, a dressing area with a flat screen TV and a large, walk-in closet. There is also a separate powder room at the entrance of the suite perfect for visitors.
The luxuries extend to the outer deck, where guests find a large, wrap around veranda. Suite occupants and their guests can enjoy open-air dining, a Jacuzzi designed to hold up to six people, and completely private areas for sunbathing and relaxing designed to entertain up to 50 people.
Pride of America also features five 870 square feet Owner's suites, which are named after indigenous flowers in Hawaii - the Bird of Paradise, Hibiscus, Gardenia, Orchid and Plumeria; six Deluxe Penthouse suites at 735 square feet, and 28 Penthouse Suites ranging in size from 504-585 square feet. Each of these suites offer a bedroom with a king-size bed and walk-in closet, a bathroom, separate shower with a Jacuzzi bath, dressing area and flat screen TV as well as a separate living room that features a state of the art Bang & Olufsen entertainment center, a TV with a DVD player and a CD/DVD library. Computer access with Internet connection is offered as well.
The ship also features a unique new style of accommodations and another family-friendly innovation from NCL - the Family Suites. Eight 360 square feet family suites feature a living room with a double sofa bed and entertainment center, separate den with a single sofa bed and a private bedroom with two twin beds that can be combined for a queen-size bed. Four additional family suites measuring 330-380 square feet feature two interconnecting cabins that can sleep up to eight people. The larger of the two cabins is an oversize, outside cabin with two single beds that can be combined for a queen-size bed; a sitting area with a double sofa bed. This cabin interconnects with another outside cabin that features two single beds and two upper berths. These eight-person family suites feature two separate bathrooms.
Amenities to be Proud of
Pride of America's All-American theme extends to the ship's spacious public areas. The heart of the ship, the Capitol Atrium, is inspired by the Capitol Building and White House and will feature a decorative stone floor, impressive water feature and a stunning backlit glass dome. The Soho Art Gallery will feature original works of art and the Newbury Street Shopping area is inspired by early 1900s New England shops. There is a Conservatory, a first for NCL, with a tropical landscaped garden and live exotic birds, as well as the Washington Library and the ship's Hollywood Theater, which accommodates 872 and has large, golden statues adorning the walls.
The ship features the latest in relaxation and fitness facilities with the Santa Fe Spa and Fitness Center. Decorated with artifacts from New Mexico with authentic plants, the Spa will be a tranquil area making use of natural elements such as stone and wood. Hawaii-based Mandara Spa, the world's leading operator of landside resort spas, will operate the spa pampering NCL guests with an exotic menu of spa and beauty treatments combining the best of East and West. The Santa Fe Fitness Center boasts state-of-the-art Cybex exercise equipment and Lifefitness cardiovascular machines, each with their own flat screen TVs, an aerobics room offering high/low impact aerobics, yoga, power walking and belly busters classes. The center also features invigorating saunas and steam room and a relaxation area.
The Sports Deck contains a basketball, volleyball and soccer court. The large South Beach sunning and swimming area is inspired by Miami's Art Deco district and features some novel distractions and activities capturing the energy and fun of Ocean Drive and Lincoln Road.
The ship is particularly family-friendly and features the Rascal's Kids Center and Kid's Pool, a supervised facility for children designed around a theme of native animals of America.
The Largest Dedicated Meeting Facilities at Sea
Pride of America and Pride of Aloha will provide the best meetings and conference facilities at sea. The ships are a unique opportunity for meeting planners with three, four and seven day cruises available every week of the year. Planners can book a full week's cruise or alternatively book a three or four day cruise with the option to combine the cruise with a hotel stay to accommodate a variety of meeting lengths.
And as the only U.S. flagged ships sailing the Hawaii islands and visiting only U.S. ports, conferences and meetings on board NCL America ships qualify for both corporate and individual tax deductibility for meetings expenses.
Pride of America's meeting facilities will feature six dedicated meeting rooms ranging in size from boardrooms for 10 people to an auditorium that can accommodate over 250 guests.
Five of the meeting rooms -- the Hawaii Room, the Oahu Room, the Kauai Room, Molokai room and the Maui Room - can be used individually or combined with others. The Diamond Head Auditorium is a multi-level, circular room that boasts a state-of-the-art audiovisual system that lowers from the ceiling and can be viewed by all participants with it multiple screens. The auditorium also splits into two amphitheatre-like presentation rooms.
The conference area features a business center, a separate large gathering and break area and the Lanai Bar and Lounge, perfect as another break area, for private one-on-one meetings or for group cocktail parties.
Pride of America will also feature Wi Fi capability, which is also available on each of NCL's existing ships fleet wide. Guests can visit the Internet Center on Deck 6 to obtain an Internet access card if they have brought their own laptops with them, or rent a laptop with wireless Internet capabilities.
Pride of Aloha to Begin Sailing in October 2004
Pride of Aloha, currently Norwegian Sky, is a modern 2,002-passenger ship that was the first NCL ship to offer Freestyle Cruising when the program was introduced in 2000. Reflagged into the U.S. register, she will be 100 percent U.S. crewed and will begin her Hawaii service in October 2004, offering three- and four-night inter-island cruises round trip from Honolulu. The company will announce detailed plans of the redesign for the ship in the next few months.
Miami-based Norwegian Cruise Line is an international cruise company and industry innovator. NCL is the leader in round-trip seven-day cruising from US and Canadian ports, offering its popular Homeland Cruising program seasonally from Baltimore, Boston, Charleston, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Orlando (Port Canaveral), San Juan, Seattle and Vancouver, and year round from New York, Miami, Houston and Honolulu. For further information on NCL, agents in the US and Canada may contact NCL at (800) 327-7030; visit NCL's website at www.ncl.com or on AOL at keyword: NCL; or to download high-resolution photography visit www.ncl.com/hires.